Interfaith Food Bank Society of Lethbridge joins Alberta Living Wage Network as the first employer in Lethbridge to certify
As part of their commitment to addressing food security, Interfaith Food Bank Society of Lethbridge felt it only appropriate to become a certified Living Wage Employer. While they are fortunate to have staff that work for the cause and not necessarily for the paycheque, Executive Director, Danielle McIntyre, felt that their commitment to paying a living wage would ensure their staff never needed to access the services that Interfaith Food Bank Society of Lethbridge provides.
“As an organization focused on food security and poverty related issues, we feel it is necessary to ensure we model ethical standards that include paying our staff team fairly for the work they do. We value our team, who work tirelessly to support our community,” said McIntyre. She added that not only has employee morale increased, paying a living wage has allowed the company to shift their organizational structure and add new job descriptions, which she hopes will have a positive impact on employee retention.
While Interfaith Food Bank Society of Lethbridge has been paying higher than minimum wage for years, the last minimum wage increase impacted the charity. They have been working to build to a point where paying a living wage is sustainable. What solidified their commitment to paying a living wage was the release of the Living Wage Report in November 2021. “The release of the Living Wage report for our community exemplified the importance of taking care of our human assets – without them, we cannot ensure the high standards of service that we provide our most vulnerable community members,” McIntyre said. She noted that without their staff, the Food Bank wouldn’t be able to effectively lead a team of more than 150 volunteers who aid in sustaining the mission and mandate of Interfaith Food Bank Society of Lethbridge.
Since launching in November, Alberta Living Network has had 39 employers certified as living wage employers in their community. The living wage in Lethbridge is $19.00/hour and we are thrilled to have Interfaith Food Bank Society of Lethbridge joining the network as the first employer in Lethbridge to certify.